Amusement apparatus



May 2% 1941. c. D. ARNOLD AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Fi-led Nov. 14, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Zaffarliflzaid A itomeys May 20, 1941. c. D. ARNOLD AMUSEMENT APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1938 May 20, 1941. c. D. ARNOLD 2,242,843

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet ,5

In venior A ttorneys Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Cliflord D. Arnold, Mare Island, Calif. 7

Application November 14, 1938, Serial No. 240,373

1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in amusement apparatus and more particularly to a roundabout which will not only be amusing, but which will form a high calibre of exercise for its occupants.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device in the nature of a roundabout in which means is incorporated whereby a see-sawing action is obtained.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character which while highly thrilling to the occupants is relatively safe compared with apparatus in this category now used.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the apparatus, this figure only showing two of the seats with the supporting means, the other seats and their supporting means being omitted.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary Vertical sectional View showing the lower hub.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig ure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the upper portion of the post and the upper hub.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner in which the pipes are connected to the lower hub.

Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an inside elevational view of the seat assembly shown detached from the rest of the apparatus.

Figure 10 is a section on line Ill-40 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 represents a post which is braced by upstanding brace members 6 inclining from bases I to the collar 8 on the intermediate portion of the post. The lower portion of the post 5 is suitably anchored in a base 9.

From the point a of the post to the point b, the post is offset obliquely to merge with the upward offset extension I0.

On the portion of the post 5 below the point a is the hub generally referred to by numeral II, while on the extension In is the hub generally referred to by numeral I2.

As shown in Figure 3, this hub consists of the sleeve I3 riveted as at I4 to the post 5. The lower portion of this sleeve I3 is provided with the circumferential flange I5. Numeral I6 denotes a shell which is counter-bored at its ends to define shoulders I1 against which are disposed the tapered roller bearing assemblies I8 and I9. The lower bearing I9 rests on the flange I5, while nuts 26 are driven against the upper bearing I8 to properly adjust the same in respect to the shell I6. Grease-retaining closure plates 2I are provided at the upper and lower portions of the shell I6. Numeral 22 represents a threaded bore for the reception of a grease inlet fitting.

Ear members 23 extend laterally from the upper and lower portions of the hub I I and are received by the bifurcated fittings 24. Bolts 25 are disposed through these fittings 24 and ears 23 for pivotally connecting the fittings to the ears. Each of these fittings is provided with a reduced extension 21 adapted to be snugly disposed into an elongated pipe section and these pipe sections are to be defined as the upper pipe sections 28 and the lower pipe sections 29 and each overlying pair of these pipe sections 2829 are strapped together by vertically extending straps 30 secured in place by bolts 3|.

The outer ends of the pair of pipes 2829 pivotally connect to ears 32 on the inner side of the vertical frame member 33 which depends from the occupant seat 34 which is provided with an inwardly turned lower portion 35 having a footsupporting cross bar 36 thereon.

From each seat 34 extends inwardly a bar 31 supporting an upright 38 on which is the hand bar 39.

At the upper portion of the post, that is at the extension It the hub I2 is located and consists of the sleeve 40 secured to the post It] by bolts 4|. An intermediate portion. of this sleeve 40 is provided with a circumferential flange 42 supporting the bevelled roller-bearing mount 43 around which is disposed the annulus 44. End plates 45 and 46 are provided for the hub and suitably secured to the annulus 44 to prevent the escape of grease from the inside of the annulus 44 and the bearing. This annulus 44 is provided with outstanding ears 41 with which are engaged the cables or chains 48 by means of bolts 41, these bolts passing through loops formed at the ends of the cables and spacer sleeves 41" may be placed on the bolts and similar sleeves 25' may be placed on the bolts 25 which connect the members 24 with the ears 23 at the lower hub. These cables 48 extend downwardly to lugs 49 on the outer end portions of the pipes 28. All the pipe sections 28 and 29 are of the same length and all the cables 48 are of the same length and a line passing from the pivotal point of each upper pipe 28 with the hub l I to the pivotal point which connects a cable 48 with the hub I2 forms a right angle with the pipe section 28 and a pipe section 28 for one seat extends in parallelism to the opposite pipe section 28. Thus opposing arms formed by the pipe sections 28 will occupy identical positions in succession during rotation of the device and each seat 34 will describe an inclined circular path.

As will be seen from Figure 1, during the rotary movement of the device, each seat during a portion of its revolution about the post will have the horizontal distance between the seat and the hub I2 gradually decreased in moving from the high to the low position and this of course causes the cable 58 of this seat to swing the seat supporting arms or pipes downwardly and during other portions of the revolution the seat will have thehorizontal distance between itself and the hub l2 increased and thus the cable will permit the seat assembly to move upwardly, this action taking place simultaneously with the corresponding raising and lowering of the opposite seat assembly.

It can now be seen that the occupants arrange themselves in the apparatus, that is in the seats, so that similar weights will be diametricallydistributed.

The occupant, or occupants most lowly located will shift his weight fOlWlEtI'd whilethe upper occupants will shift their weight backwards and in this way motion is imparted to the apparatus and this forward shifting of Weight and rearward shifting of weight when the occupant is elevated and lowered affords considerable exercise besides an amusing and thrilling pastime.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous charges in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

A roundabout actuated by the occupants shifting their bodies comprising a stationary upright having a straight vertically arranged major portion, and a short vertical top portion laterally offset from. the axis of the major portion, a first hub rotatably supported from the upper part of the major portion, a second hub rotatably supported on the short vertical portion, arms arranged in pairs with one arm of each pair located below the other arm of the pair, means for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the arms to the first-mentioned hub, each pair of arms being connected to the first hub at a point diametrically opposite another pair of arms and each cable being connected to the second hub at a point diametrically opposite the connection of another cable to said hub and each pair of arms extending in parallelism to the opposite pair of arms in all positions of rotation of the roundabout, a seat supported by each pair of arms, means for pivotally connecting the outer ends of the arms cfeach pair to a depending part of a seat and cables connecting the upper arms,

at points adjacent their outer ends, withthe sec ond hub said cables acting to hold one pair of arms in raised position while the opposite pair is in lowered position and the first pair moving downwardly when the occupant of the seat thereof leans backwardly and the occupant of the seat of the opposite pair. leans forwardly, the. lastmentioned pair moving upwardly and the firstmentioned pair moving downwardly.

CLIFFORD D. ARNOLD. 

